It’s winter in the Holy Land and for me that means cool rains, crisp air, classic rock and most important, comfort foods.  This week has been especially cool and rainy so it inspired me to prepare a wintry menu.

I recently purchased an Apple TV so I can now rock out to the sounds of Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, Boston and the like while cooking and I can feel the added energy being absorbed into the food.

Shabbat in my house is hands down everyone’s favorite day of the week.  We are all together.  We laugh, eat, read (real books and not Kindle), pray and catch up.  This week I felt like really spoiling the crew so I prepared a rich and savory beef stew (from a recipe I found that was not only easy to make, but came out just as great as the pictures posted on the site), salmon two ways, roasted seasonal vegetables and many sumptuous salads.  The Kosher Mom (my eshes chayil) was busy baking mundel bread and challah.  It’s a team effort to make Shabbat every week and we enjoy every minute of it.

I can’t stress enough how important it is for everyone to create their own “Shabbat” once a week.  Don’t let the religious observances turn you off or intimidate you.  Start slow and go at your own pace.  The most important aspect is that everyone is together.  Try and set up a time (preferably from sunset Friday until Sunset Saturday-lol) once a week where the family gets together (without electronics, phones and television).  Have your children become involved in the preparations, whether it be setting the table, helping to clean or bake or even by helping to cook.  If they are involved and feel like they are an essential and important part of the process, it will encourage them to want to participate and will give added meaning to Shabbat.  Most of all, as I have said before, it will create long lasting memories and traditions that will not only help to keep your family together as a unit, but your children will have these memories and traditions that will last a lifetime.

Wishing everyone a shabbat shalom.

This is the recipe for the beef stew.  Try it!

http://www.onceuponachef.com/2011/02/beef-stew-with-carrots-potatoes.html#tabrecipe

This is one of the salmon dishes I prepared:  Salmon filets, crushed tomatoes, crushed garlic, whole hot peppers, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, chopped cilantro.  Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

This is Kosher Mom’s mandel bread.  There won’t be any left after Shabbat!